Conference: 5th Annual Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) meeting on the Biology of Cancer: Microenvironment & Metastasis, September 24–28 2019, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States
Conference Highlight: The CSHL biennial meeting provides an academic space to bring together different aspects of cancer biology in the context of tumour microenvironment and cell metastasis.
Conference Summary: The fifth Biology of Cancer: Cancer Microenvironment and Metastasis meeting integrated the diverse breadth of cancer biology research under one umbrella, with a particular focus on the role of microenvironment in tumour progression and the factors influencing tumour cell metastasis. The program was divided into eight themes: microenvironment and matrix; phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity; metabolism; drug resistance; plasticity and hypoxia; metastasis and dormancy; senescence and signaling; tumour immunology.
Approximately 250 scientists from research institutes and pharmaceutical or biotech industries around the globe showcased their research over four days of oral presentations and two poster sessions. Despite the eight distinct program themes, several overarching concepts emerged, such as the advent of improved and more relevant in vitro and in vivo models to study specific processes of interest. For example, great strides have been made in developing better biological models of metastasis. These will aid in determining specific molecules and pathways that both affect the dormancy programs of metastatic cells and help create a favourable environment for them to seed at their secondary site.
There were two keynote presenters at the meeting. Dr. Daniel Haber (Massachusetts General Hospital) discussed the importance of studying circulating tumour cells—disseminated cells from the primary tumour with the ability to seed at a distant site—to help elucidate novel mediators of metastatic potential. The second keynote speaker, Dr. Tyler Jacks (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), highlighted the power of single cell technologies to study tumour progression. Using single-cell epigenome analysis, his group identified a transcription factor responsible for activating an extracellular matrix remodeling “program” that promotes metastatic cell spread.
This meeting was an excellent opportunity for cancer researchers to network, discover new research and renew inspiration and motivation to continue towards the common goal of improving cancer treatment for patients.